Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and the Arts (URSA)http://hdl.handle.net/1957/183392015-03-03T18:55:26Z2015-03-03T18:55:26ZIdentifying breeder-friendly INDELs that co-seggregate with SNPs associated with QTL for resistance to Fusarium solani root rot in snap bean (Phaselous vulgaris)Schmidt, Joseph A.http://hdl.handle.net/1957/551452015-02-18T17:26:34Z2015-02-18T00:00:00ZIdentifying breeder-friendly INDELs that co-seggregate with SNPs associated with QTL for resistance to Fusarium solani root rot in snap bean (Phaselous vulgaris)
Schmidt, Joseph A.
Fusarium solani is a chronic disease that causes root rot which affects bean production worldwide. Recently, a QTL map was generated which identified several SNPs which were found to be associated with resistance to the pathogen. To be useful in a breeding program, INDELs must be identified which co-seggregate with these SNPs. Using PCR, Agarose Gel Electrophoresis and ultraviolet visualization, seven INDELs on linkage groups three and seven were identified as being closely associated with resistance to Fusarium solani.
2015-02-18T00:00:00ZAdjuvant vitamin E and ovarian cancerHartman, Alysha E.http://hdl.handle.net/1957/549012015-01-14T19:40:50Z2014-09-22T00:00:00ZAdjuvant vitamin E and ovarian cancer
Hartman, Alysha E.
Cisplatin (CDDP) is a highly active platinum-containing chemotherapeutic agent for use against solid tumors, including ovarian. However, like most antitumor agents, CDDP use is accompanied by non-tumor tissue toxicities leading to unwanted side effects, including neuropathy. To date, the mechanism(s) for these side effects are undefined. However, the clinical features of CDDP neurotoxicity resemble those seen in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol, aT) deficiency neuropathy. Using a preclinical model of epithelial ovarian cancer we tested the hypothesis that (1) CDDP depletes aT by an oxidative stress mechanism whereby platinum acts as a catalyst for lipid peroxidation thereby leading to aT-deficiency neuropathy, (2) adjuvant aT will prevent CDDP-mediated lipid peroxidation and aT depletion, and (3) adjuvant aT will improve CDDP antitumor efficacy. Tumor-bearing F344 rats were assigned to one of four treatment regimens: (1) saline, (2) aT, (3) CDDP, or (4) CDDP + aT. Our data indicates CDDP increases lipid peroxidation and decreases plasma and tissue aT levels and that adjuvant aT prevents CDDP-induced lipid peroxidation and aT depletion. In addition, adjuvant aT decreased tumor tissue proliferation and decreased tumor burden more than 5-fold, compared to CDDP alone. These data are the first to document the ability of adjuvant aT to improve chemotherapeutic antitumor efficacy and improve antioxidant/oxidative stress status in an immune competent tumor-bearing animal.
2014-09-22T00:00:00ZHow sweet is the land? Modeling caloric landscapes for tropical hummingbirdsBirkett, Christina Nozomihttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/546412014-12-15T20:00:53Z2014-11-25T00:00:00ZHow sweet is the land? Modeling caloric landscapes for tropical hummingbirds
Birkett, Christina Nozomi
Pollination is a critical ecosystem function for sustaining biodiversity. However, pollinators and the services they provide are threatened by landscape-altering anthropogenic activities across the globe. Habitat loss and fragmentation, introduction of invasive species, chemical use, and urbanization have been shown to impact pollination. Pollinator foraging behavior is thought to be largely a function of available floral rewards, therefore, understanding the role of resource distributions in pollinator abundance and behavior within disturbed landscapes is a key piece of information for conservation. Fine scale information on floral resource distribution across disturbed landscapes is lacking in most systems. Here we demonstrate how existing presence-only species distribution modeling techniques (i.e., Maximum entropy modeling [MaxEnt]) can be combined with widely available environmental information to create resource landscapes for both pollinator communities and specific pollinators of interest. This model is the first of its kind, making possible simultaneous visualization of fine-scale resource configuration and quantity across abroad spatial extent. We tested this method to build caloric landscapes using tropical hummingbird-plant system in Costa Rica. We found that our MaxEnt models performed well on independent data for all 13 flower species we examined. Our landscape-scale caloric map showed that available calories within each 35m² pixel ranged from 0 to greater than 30,000 across our study region. Our model provides the possibility of predicting pollinator movement and abundance based upon resource supply. As its parameters are flexible, it is broad in its potential applications. The flexibility in calibration to desired resource landscapes permits applying the model to other pollinator-plant systems. We hope that this model will complement the current ecologist’s toolbox, aiding in ensuring the continuation and health of pollinator systems.
Powerpoint presentation for the defense of this thesis.
2014-11-25T00:00:00ZHow sweet is the land?
Modeling caloric landscapes for tropical hummingbirdsBirkett, Christina Nozomihttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/546382014-12-15T20:01:50Z2014-11-25T00:00:00ZHow sweet is the land?
Modeling caloric landscapes for tropical hummingbirds
Birkett, Christina Nozomi
Pollination is a critical ecosystem function for sustaining biodiversity. However, pollinators and the services they provide are threatened by landscape-altering anthropogenic activities across the globe. Habitat loss and fragmentation, introduction of invasive species, chemical use, and urbanization have been shown to impact pollination. Pollinator foraging behavior is thought to be largely a function of available floral rewards, therefore, understanding the role of resource distributions in pollinator abundance and behavior within disturbed landscapes is a key piece of information for conservation. Fine scale information on floral resource distribution across disturbed landscapes is lacking in most systems. Here we demonstrate how existing presence-only species distribution modeling techniques (i.e., Maximum entropy modeling [MaxEnt]) can be combined with widely available environmental information to create resource landscapes for both pollinator communities and specific pollinators of interest. This model is the first of its kind, making possible simultaneous visualization of fine-scale resource configuration and quantity across abroad spatial extent. We tested this method to build caloric landscapes using tropical hummingbird-plant system in Costa Rica. We found that our MaxEnt models performed well on independent data for all 13 flower species we examined. Our landscape-scale caloric map showed that available calories within each 35m² pixel ranged from 0 to greater than 30,000 across our study region. Our model provides the possibility of predicting pollinator movement and abundance based upon resource supply. As its parameters are flexible, it is broad in its potential applications. The flexibility in calibration to desired resource landscapes permits applying the model to other pollinator-plant systems. We hope that this model will complement the current ecologist’s toolbox, aiding in ensuring the continuation and health of pollinator systems.
2014-11-25T00:00:00Z